Matthew Bourne's Play Without Words - Sadler's Wells
Pro reviewers average
2013-06-19
Chelsea, 1965. Behind the privileged façade of domestic social order lies a struggle for power, territory and sexual domination. In a suave Chelsea home an urbane master and his beautiful fiancée welcome their new manservant, Prentice. What f...
Chelsea, 1965. Behind the privileged façade of domestic social order lies a struggle for power, territory and sexual domination. In a suave Chelsea home an urbane master and his beautiful fiancée welcome their new manservant, Prentice. What follows will change their lives forever. Sexy, chic and thrillingly original, this dance drama is a spellbinding carnival of seduction, intrigue and power.
Returning for its first revival as part of New Adventures’ 25th anniversary celebration, Matthew Bourne’s Play Without Words was a critical and popular success when it was first produced by the National Theatre in 2002. It now makes its debut at Sadler’s Wells in a strictly limited four week season. Designer Lez Brotherston and lighting designer Paule Constable repeat their Olivier-nominated work and Terry Davies’ acclaimed jazz influenced score will be played live at all performances.
Play Without Words won the 2003 Olivier Awards for Best Entertainment and Best Theatre Choreographer.
Show Details
| Running dates | from Jul 12 2012 to Aug 5 2012 |
| Theatre | Sadler's Wells |
| Pro Average | |
| Peer Average | |
| My Rating | Review This Show |
| Cheapest ticket | £18 |
| Most expensive ticket | £50 |
| Time Out (Other reviewers) | Full Review | |
| What's on Stage (Other reviewers) | Full Review | |
| Patrick Marmion (Daily Mail) | Full Review |
| Steven Rayner | ||
| Cabe Franklin | A very above-average fringe show - the concept of telling a whole story through dance works, and/or the concept of a dance show having a much stronger narrative through line than usual works. It's odd how distracting the fact of the narrative is from the form of the dancing though - you find yourself watching the faces more than the footwork, and engaging the part of the brain that wants to know what happens next, rather than the one that just appreciates the movement. So, a useful experimental blend, even if both the dance and story would be only average if taken separately. |
Overview, Cast and Creatives
| Genre | Dance | |
| Synopsis | ||
| Chelsea, 1965. Behind the privileged façade of domestic social order lies a struggle for power, territory and sexual domination. In a suave Chelsea home an urbane master and his beautiful fiancée welcome their new manservant, Prentice. What follows will change their lives forever. Sexy, chic and thrillingly original, this dance drama is a spellbinding carnival of seduction, intrigue and power.
Returning for its first revival as part of New Adventures’ 25th anniversary celebration, Matthew Bourne’s Play Without Words was a critical and popular success when it was first produced by the National Theatre in 2002. It now makes its debut at Sadler’s Wells in a strictly limited four week season. Designer Lez Brotherston and lighting designer Paule Constable repeat their Olivier-nominated work and Terry Davies’ acclaimed jazz influenced score will be played live at all performances. Play Without Words won the 2003 Olivier Awards for Best Entertainment and Best Theatre Choreographer. |
||
| Author | Matthew Bourne | |
| Designer | Lez Brotherston | |
| Lighting Designer | Paule Constable | |
| Music | Terry Davies | |